National Republican., 1887-10-17
CURRENT COMMENT.
The sc,ntiiiations which Brighten Our
Rxcbanrea.

Philadelphia Record Tue falling of H.
the number OF knights OF Labor from Jul,
|, 1850, to July /, 1887, is officially reporter
to have been 10000. The arrearages IN
the pay ment Of dues are also reported ~
be larger this year than they were the yea
before. This statement is not encouraging
for the future progress of the order. II
cannot go on unless It's membership shall
increase nor unless dues shall be paid.
Lincoln State journal It is the divine
right of majority In Great Britain to day
that is suppressipg the Irish land league
and turning hundreds OF poverty stricken
families out Of their homes that they have
occupied and improved for generations,
because the rack rents imposed by the
Sreedy proprietors Of the soil were more
than the products of the land, however In
dustriously cultivated, and however eco
nomically husbanded.
New York Herald: Trade with Japan,
so far as II enables us to kDow and possess
exquisite tho works Of JapaneseIart, ia di'-
tinct contribution to our civilization. And
we are glad to see that our eastern friends
flrd comfort In our petroleum aud utility
in our metals The advance In spirits aui
beer-beverages not needed In Japanese
countries, and the taste for which has geu-
orally proved fatal to the weaker nations
is not subject for congratulation'
Cleveland Lender; Comparatively few
people realize the practical results which
science has achieved In the wav OF utilizing
what was before worthless. While the fact
that modern science has wideued our
knowledge and given the race new fields
Of thought and wonderful information con-
cerniDg all departments OF research, is duly
appreciated, yet this, It's more practical
work, has proceeded so quietly ana unos
tentatiously that the vast benefits flowing
from II are not fully realized.
Plttsburg Dispatch. The famous Baltimor'
and Ohio muddle has concentrated itself o.
the telegraph lines Of the company and T.
more muddled than ever. The Western
Union people cay they have got the Bilti.
more aud Ohio telegraph; Mr. Robert Gar
rett FIRST declares that they have not, and
then lapses into the mute condition of tht
oyster, while the country awaits with
psrdonable degree of interest the decision
whether its tcerraphic business is to b.
transacted under competition or by the rule
OF monopoly.
Denver Ne,rs: Congress must face the
question of the surplus. Under an eco
nomical, efficient, aud honest Democratic
administration, the best this country his
ell ioyed for years, the taxes paid to tn
national treasury during the month of Sep
tember averaged over 81 100000 per day
In the exact language OF the general repori
the revenue was 1888, 2l5 ,237, the current ex
penses Si4,37l ,453, aud the surplus SIS, ,S43,-
7i4 A reduction OF the revenue Is there
fore imperative. The question now Is
where can 1t be made with the least posi-
BILE harm and with promise OF the greatest
good.
Brooklyn Eagle; Among the many labor
reform movements OF the hour II Is surpris-
ing that the workingmen Of the country,
unlike their comrades in England, have not
given more attention to the subject OF co.
operation. II wage workers are not entitled
to share the profits Of business In the risks
of which they do not participate, they at
least have II In their power to improve their
condition. This could be done IN part by
establishing closer identity Of interest
between capital and labor, and by the work
| ipgmen awaiting themselves Of all the facill-
| ties Of modern times to thoroughly familiar
| ize themselves with the details OF every
branch OF business.
| The st. Louis Pioneer Press: The Mug
! wump Is funny bird. Just now the wind
has got hold of his tail feathers again, and
he is performing the most remarkable and
| distressing ev0lutions. While the mails
from the east are bringing In Mugwump ex-
changes filled with glowing eulogies on Civil
Service Commissioner Oberly, for his stand
against Democratic associations Of Office
| holders for collecting political assessments,
and tearfully proclalinIng their own abase-
| ment because they have sometimes doubted
his sincerity, the more agile telegraph places
before us sIr. Obery's equally fearful re-
cantation and denial. Swift are the admin
| istration organs to seize upon q hope Of re-
form. But, though weighted with much
adipose, the good bishop of the civil service
commission has overtaken them He crawls
out Of a Eole In way that illustrates the
wonderful elasticity of conscience and COM
| pressibility of matter.
Philadelphia Press: Tho progress of the
south at Atlanta hes been rapid but steady
since the census of 1880 The total yalua-
| ton Of the fourteen southern states was
| then $3.50, ,023, 2G0. In the seven years
which have passed since over 81 900 900. 900
have been added to the taxable property in
these states, making 1t now nearly 50 500,-
| OC0,CO0. This advance has been more
marked during 1851 than In any year past.
In the fret nine months of this year $2l2,-
it5C00 were invested In new factories iu
the south, against SS3, $4,000 invested dur
inc the same period in 1856. The ne " com.
paBies organized from Jan. l to Oct. l.,
1857, number 1854, against /, l75 organized
between the same dates last year. Accord
ing to trustworthy statistics $4,000 new In
dustres have sprung into life In the south
ern states since 1879, $4,000 miles of rail
road have been built, the production OF
iron has increased from 80 1000 tons tC
S1G,CC0 tons, and the coal mined from
100000 tons TO 1000, 600 tons.